Pakistan ‘remains neutral’ as UNGA censures Russia

NEW YORK, March 3: Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, speaking at the emergency session on Ukraine.-INP
UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly voted on Wednesday to censure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, demanded that Moscow stop fighting and urged it to immediately withdraw its military forces.
However, in a carefully-worded statement on the Ukrainian crisis, delivered in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, Pakistan emphasised the need to protect territorial integrity of a state without threatening the national interests of another.
Although an overwhelming majority, 141, voted for the resolution, it remains non-binding as a resolution has to be approved by the UN Security Council to be binding.
Besides Russia, four other countries also voted against the resolution while 35 states, including Pakistan, abstained.
Munir Akram says Islamabad ‘most concerned’ over safety of citizens, students still in Ukraine
On the first two days of this emergency session on Ukraine, Pakistan watched carefully as state after state blamed Russia for invading Ukraine and deman­ded immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from the occupied territory.
“Pakistan is committed to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter: self-determination of peoples, non-use or threat of use of force, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and pacific settlement of disputes,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram told the emergency session.
“Equally, Pakistan upholds the principle of equal and indivisible security for all. These principles must be consistently and universally respected.”
Besides Russia, four other countries also voted against the resolution while 35 states, including Pakistan, abstained. – NNI